Deep ocean environmental sampler



Aug. 16, 1966 c. L. BUCHANAN ET AL DEEP OCEAN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLER Filed Dec. 27, 1963 Q@ mm INVENTOR CHESTER L. BUCHANAN JERV/S J. GENNAR/ HOWARD E BARNES WALTER L. BRUNDAGE JR.

ATTORNEY DEEP OCEAN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLER Chester L. Buchanan, Camp Springs, Jervis J. Gennari,

Oxon Hill, and Howard E. Barnes, District Heights,

Md., and Walter L. Brundage, Jr., Woodbridge, Va.,

assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Dec. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 334,055 4 Claims. (Cl. 73-425.4)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of an royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a deep ocean environmental sampler and more particularly to a deep ocean sampler capable of securing and retaining a sample in the original environment found.

Prior art devices show sampling devices which are incapable of withstanding great depths and at the same time capable of preserving a trapped sample at the pressure of the depth obtained. Prior art devices such as the Narnsen bottle are primarily concerned with samplings from the ocean, but are not concerned with retaining a sample at the pressure trapped.

The present invention is a deep ocean sampler capable of taking samplings not only at great water depths but in any liquid and fluid environment of extreme pressure not exceeding the limitation of the materials made.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an accurate and dependablesarnpler of simple construction.

Another object is to provide a sampler capable of obtaining a sample of fluid at any pressure wherein upon the samplerbeing withdrawn from a given environment, a locking action occurs.

A further object is to provide a means on the sampler for allowing the trapped sample to be extracted at the pressure obtained.

Still another object is to provide a protective'rneans,

thereby preventing undesirable pressure changes of the captured sample upon retrieval.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the annexed drawing, which illustrates an embodiment and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view, partly in section, and wherein the rod and attached piston are extended prior to the taking of a sample.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the sampler with the pistons in place after a sample has been taken.

FIG. 3 shows the sampler having attached adapters which provide a convenient means of discharging the captured sample from the sampler while maintaining the captured sample at its original pressure.

The invention comprises a cylinder, having a rod with attached pistons thereon. One piston initially being in the cylinder and the other piston extending beyond the end of the cylinder. Upon activation the rod and pis tons move relative to the cylinder with one piston abutting a stop at one end, and the second piston stopping just as it passes inside the mouth of the cylinder, thereby trapping a sample therein.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1, container member around which is a second member 12, wherein the second member acts as an insulating barrier from ambient temperature and pressure. Member 12 further provides a low pressure airspace between it and member 10 thereby preventing cylinder 10 from further expanding upon being withdrawn from the depths United States Patent Patented August 16, 1966 at which a sample is taken. The air space between members 10 and 12 also acts as thermal barrier by aiding in maintaining the temperature in situ. Sealing means 14 are provided for sealing the airspace between the members from the outside conditions.

The' outer cylinder 12 has a three-fold purpose. The outer cylinder confines air between cyilnders 10 and 12 which acts as a thermal barrier to aid in maintaining the water sample confined in cylinder 10 at about the same temperature as the temperature of the water from which the same is taken. Another purpose is to protect the inner cylinder 10 against the high pressure of the surrounding Water as the sampling device is lowered into the water. Further, the outer cylinder prevents the chamber 10 from expanding as the sampler is withdrawn from the water. The pressure of the sample must act on the walls of cylinder 10 which acts against the air within the spacing between cylinders 10 and 12 and therefore acts against cylinder 12. Thus cylinder 12 provides a thermal barrier and protects the inner cylinder both during descent and ascent.

Aligned with and moveable within cylinder 10 is rod member 16 having pistons 18, and 20 thereon. Piston 20 is an integral part of the rod, as is the extended portion 22 having valve 24 and passage means 26 therein. Passage 26 and valve 24 provide a means for retrieving the captured sample from the cylinder, essentially at the same pressure and temperature as initially sampled in the original environment. Piston 18 is positioned on rod 16 by means of collar 28 and nut 29. Both pistons have sealing means such as 30, 34 and 36 which may be neoprene rings or the like. The sealing means however must be capable of retaining the trapped sample in the cylinder under all conditions of pressure the device may portion 44, at the opposite end for attaching the rod to piston rod 16. Members 50, 52 and 54 at each end of cylinder 10, serve as a low friction bearing and guiding surfaces for push rod 38 and piston 18. Member 50 in addition to its function as a bearing surface is the limiting stop for the forward travel of piston 20 inside cylinder 10.

FIG. 2 shows the device, in the closed position having a trapped sample therein, with piston 20 being at the extreme inward position against stop 50. As the device is drawn from the sampled environment the pressure differential created causes the sealing means to hold the trapped sample.

FIG. 3 shows the device in the closed position with adapters 56 and 58 attached thereto and collar 28 detached, thereby freeing piston 18, which can now move along rod 16. The adapters are applied to facilitate handling of the device and to allow connection to a system in which the pressure can be made the same as that of the sample in cylinder 10. In order to extract the sample, a small controlled differential of pressure is created between the cylinder and the system thereby czgusng the trapped sample to be forced through orifice 2 0.

In operation, the sampler is lowered into the sea, ocean or any environment from which a sample is to be taken with the sampler initially in the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The device is lowered by some means attached to eye 40 and upon reaching the desired depth, pin 42 is removed, wherein cylinder 10 moves toward piston 18, thereby trapping a sample within the cylinder. The sample can now be retrieved with the sample therein, and upon attaching plugs 56, 58 the sampler is placed in a pressurized fluid transfer system wherein a slight differential of pressure between the cylinder and the system is created. Valve 24 is opened and piston 18 moves along rod 16 displacing the sample in the cylinder. The sample which is taken from the cylinder, is now in the transfer system, not a part of this invention, where it is tested and observed at essentially the same pressure and temperature obtained.

It is understood because of the extreme pressures to which the device will be subjected, it will normally be made of metal, but can be made of any material capable of withstanding pressures up to 10,000 psi. or greater.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for acquiring samples of water from a surrounding body of Water and maintaining the sample at substantially the temperature and pressure of the water from which the sample is taken which comprises:

a linear cylindrical container having upper and lower ends;

rod means adapted to extend through said container coaxial with said container;

a first piston on one end of said rod means;

a second piston on said rod means spaced from said first piston;

said first piston adapted to be extended with said rod means from said lower end of said container;

said second piston confined within said container and movable with said rod means within the confines of said container between said lower end and said upper end thereof;

pushing and pulling means connected to said rod means providing means for moving said rod and said pistons relative to said container and for moving said firstpiston out of and into the lower end of said container simultaneously with movement of said second piston between said lower and upper ends of said container, whereby a sample of water is trapped between said first and second pistons within said container by movement of said second piston from said lower end of said container to said upper end thereof simultaneously with movement of said first piston extended from said lower end of said container into said lower end of said container when said device is located within a body of surrounding water;

sealing means on each of said pistons which prevent any of the trapped water sample from leaking from said container and upon any pressure change lock said rod and pistons within said container, orifice means in said second piston which provides a convenient means of extracting the trapped water sample from said container for close study; and

valve means for closing and opening said orifice as desired.

2. The sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a reenforcing member is placed around said first container in spaced relationship and sealed at each end thereof to provide a sealed airspace between said reinforcing member and said container, thereby preventing said first container, having a sample therein, from expanding upon a pressure change, and further preventing a temperature change.

3. The sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first piston, upon said container being subjected to a differential in pressure, moves from the lower end of said container along said rod thereby forcing the trapped water sample through the orifice in said second piston.

4. The sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pulling means is provided with drain means, wherein water initially trapped in said container is drained from said container upon said rod and pistons moving into said container, thereby precluding the possibility of contaminating the trapped sample.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,864,472 6/1932 Riebeling '73425.4 1,887,859 11/1932 Pearce 73425.4 2,598,535 5/1952 Green 73-422 3,095,930 7/1963 Kisling 73425.4

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

S. C. SWISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR ACQUIRING SAMPLES OF WATER FROM A SURROUNDING BODY OF WATER AND MAINTAINING THE SAMPLE AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE OF THE WATER FROM WHICH THE SAMPLE IS TAKEN WHICH COMPRISES: A LINEAR CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER HAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS; RODS MEANS ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID CONTAINER COAXIAL WITH SAID CONTAINER; A FIRST PISTON ON ONE END OF SAID ROD MEANS; A SECOND PISTON ON SAID ROD MEANS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PISTON; SAID FIRST PISTON ADAPTED TO BE EXTENDED WITH SAID ROD MEANS FROM SAID LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER; SAID SECOND PISTON CONFINED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND MOVABLE WITH SAID ROD MEANS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID CONTAINER BETWEEN SAID LOWER END AND SAID UPPER END THEREOF; PUSHING AND PULLING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ROD MEANS PROVIDING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ROD AND SAID PISTONS RELATIVE TO SAID CONTAINER AND FOR MOVING SAID FIRST PISTON OUT OF AND INTO THE LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND PISTON BETWEEN SAID LOWER AND UPPER ENDS OF SAID CONTAINER, WHEREBY A SAMPLE OF WATER IS TRAPPED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PISTONS WITHIN SAID CONTAINER BY MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND PISTON FROM SAID LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER TO SAID UPPER END THEREOF SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST PISTON EXTENDED FROM SAID LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER INTO SAID LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID DEVICE IS LOCATED WITHIN A BODY OF SURROUNDING WATER; SEALING MEANS ON EACH OF SAID PISTONS WHICH PREVENT ANY OF THE TRAPPED WATER SAMPLE FROM LEAKING FROM SAID CONTAINER AND UPON ANY PRESSURE CHANGE LOCK SAID ROD AND PISTONS WITHIN SAID CONTAINER, ORIFICE MEANS IN SAID SECOND PISTON WHICH PROVIDES A CONVENIENT MEANS OF EXTRACTING THE TRAPPED WATER SAMPLE FROM SAID CONTAINER FOR CLOSE STUDY; AND VALVE MEANS FOR CLOSING AND OPENING SAID ORIFICE AS DESIRED. 